a, ha!--at witlessness of
lowerly life-forms."

"But why?" Mrs. Bernardi demanded distractedly. "Haven't we been kind to
you?"

"You be likewise well treated in our zoo," it assured her. "All of you.
Our zoo finest in Galaxy. And clean, too."

"Now really, sir, I must protest--" Professor Bernardi began, trying to
extricate a blaster unobtrusively from the pile of gear in which the
too-confident terrestrials had cached their weapons.

Monster gestured with his rod. "This is lethal weapon. Do not try
hindrancing me. Hate damage fine specimens. Captain, go rightward."

"Oh, is that so!" Greenfield retorted hotly. "Let me tell you, you--you
insect!"

"George!" Miss Anspacher clutched his arm. "Do what it says. For my
sake, George!"

"Oh, all right," he muttered. "Just for you, then. Told you not to trust
any of 'em," he went on, reluctantly poling the raft in the ordered
direction. "Foreigners!"

"Fine zoo," the mosquito-bat insisted. "Very clean. Run with utmost
efficientness. Strict visiting hours."

* * * * *

"And there goes Plan D," the vine said lightly. There was a hint of
laughter in its voice. Jrann-Pttt stared at it in consternation. "Are
you also from the Alpha Centauri system, sir?" It turned its attention
to the mosquito-bat. "Naturally I'm curious to know where I'm going," it
explained, "since I seem definitely to be included in your gracious
invitation."

"Alpha Centauri, hah!" the mosquito-bat snorted. "I from what Earthlets
laughingly term Sirius. Alpha Centauri merely little star."

"Now see here!" Jrann-Pttt sprang to his feet. Criminal he might be, but
he was not going to sit there and have his sun insulted!

"Gentlemen! Gentlemen!" Miss Anspacher cried. "No use getting yourself
killed, Jrann-Pttt!"

"Correctly," Monster approved. "Elementary intelligence displayed. Why
damage fine specimens?"

_From one prison into another_, the saurian mentalized bitterly.

_Yes_, returned Dfar-Lll, _and it's all your fault._ The junior lizard
burst into tears. _I wish I had let Merglyt-Ruuu do what he wanted. I
would have been better off._

"Sirius," the vine repeated. "That's even farther away than Alpha
Centauri, isn't it? I never thought I would get that far away from the
swamp! This really will be an adventure!"

"How do you know--" Professor Bernardi began.

"Frankly," it went on, "I don't see why you chaps are so put out by the
whole thing. What's the dif